Foxface's Story Before the Hunger Games
by Jack and Ivy
Summary: This is the story, from Foxface's point of view, of her life before she had to leave her family to participate in the Capitol's Hunger Games. It tells about her friends at home, what she does, up until the reaping and her departure to the Capitol to prepare. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

*I do not own the story of the Hunger Games. It is by Suzanne Collins and I don't own any part of it. That's why I write on FanFiction!*

Foxface's Story

I woke up to the cries of my siblings. They called for my mother who was making homemade bread. Having six younger siblings came with consequences to my sleeping patterns. Oh well, it wasn't like I could sleep anyway knowing that everyday was a day closer to the Reaping. And then the day you have it gives you chills and you just hope that you never have to participate. Of course, even if you don't play in the games, you still have to watch. I use to ask myself, which is worse, watching kids die in the games or being in the games? I've decided being in the games solely because it means leaving behind my family. I couldn't do that because there's just too much risk that I could die. Even if I know I would be pretty good hiding in an arena with trees, there's always a big chance there won't be trees.

Anyway, tomorrow is the Reaping. As usual, I'm terrified. I know that I shouldn't be scared, but I just get chilled. My mom keeps telling me that I won't get chosen, that there are far too many other girls that have greater chances of being reaped. But I feel awful this year. My name is in there a ton more times than last year, maybe because of the new baby. I feel like I have my name in their more than any other girl in my grade. I guess it's no use thinking about it.

I rise from my small cot and quickly throw the blanket on top of it. I change into my sneakers and ragged old shirt. I want to sneak to the power plant this morning and see Marsh.

I scurry past Mom in the kitchen and sit down on the front steps of the house. I grabbed under the rundown old pine steps in search for my small brass box. I had salvaged it from the power plant trash, I don't know what it use to hold there. It holds my crackers that I had brought home from Nick. Nick is my best friend at school, she is far richer than I am, and was able to give me a few leftovers from her father's recent party. Her father is friends with some high officials in the Capitol, who are supposedly planning the next Hunger Games. I had told my mom about the crackers and she said that I should keep them and eat them for breakfast if she didn't have anything left. It was the same if I wanted to see Marsh.

I devoured two and then set off running down the hard concrete roads past my whole town. All the houses were small and dark, except for Nick's. Nick's was slightly bigger and a bright, happy yellow. Nick's mother was talking with Mr. Spencer and I said hello. Then I skipped along past the other gloomy houses.

When I arrived at the power plant it was almost light out. I ran to the back alleyway and looked for any workers. None at all, good. I ran farther down the alley to the abandoned home and hopped in through a window. Then I used a window on the side of the house to perch while I carefully opened the wired fence and jumped through. I made sure to rearrange the fence wires when I got in so it didn't look like I had slipped through.

When I finally reached the small little corner where I met Marsh, I was starving again. Marsh appeared within ten minutes of my arrival. "Howdy Finch! Little squirt." She rustled my red hair with her long black nails. I turned with a start and laughed. Marsh was the family I never had. She was forty-nine years old and also had red hair. But hers was short, curly, and crazy. Marsh didn't have any family. She was alone in life except for me. We had met one day when I had been walking along the alley with Nick and my then baby brother, Magnus. The lady had been walking along and had asked us about Magnus. I told her he was my newborn baby brother and that he had his dark hair from my father. She had loved him and asked to hold him. I didn't want her to do anything bad to him so I told her he had a bad and highly contagious disease. She asked why I was holding him and I said I had had shots so I couldn't get it. She shrugged off the comment and walked away. Later when I returned to the alley I met her again and we kind of clicked together like peanut butter and jelly.

Marsh sat her pudgy body down next to me and handed me a small coin. "Courtesy of Marsh Windsor, extraordinaire." She waved her hands up in the air like she was a goddess. I grinned, "Thanks Marsh. I really appreciate it." Marsh had a little extra money up her sleeve. I had at first thought she was poorer than I, but it turns out her husband works in the power plant as a manager and she makes decent doe. I thought it was weird that she was breaking into the power plant and allowing me, but she says she enjoys "Having a little fun, breaking a few rules." Plus she points out that if we get into any trouble she knows the manager of the plant.

Marsh talks to me a while about her knew red coat and then let's me tell her about my dress for the reaping. She tells me there is no chance I'd be picked, but I know she's just trying to make me feel better. Typical of Marsh. Then I tell her I need to be getting back home or my father will be angry. She sighs one of those pathetic and sad sighs and then lets me pass her. I remember to shout after me, "Thanks again for the coin!" I hear her screech what sounds like a "Yes, darling!"

Again, I take the time to untwine the fence and then weave it back to its original state before jumping into the abandoned home. It smells of animal output and rotting food. I knew that the old woman whose father use to own the power plant one time lived here, probably before the Dark Days. She had died in the last rebellion and nobody except me had ever been in her house. Maybe Marsh had, but I'd never asked.

I ran back through the house and out to the alley. Nobody was around which was good. I ran all the way back to the main street quietly. It was a little past nine according to the small clock in the town square. When I finally reached my street and saw Nick's mother, this time feeding their three chickens. I waved my hand and she ushered me over. "Hello Mrs. Cronin, where is Nikola today?" Nick's mom was a short lady with blonde hair. Her skin was an ivory color and she wore a flowered blouse and nice denim capris. She always liked me, and I always thought she was kind.

"Nick? She is getting a new dress for the Reaping tomorrow. She was getting fitted at Gralen's because she has been wearing the same dress since she was twelve, and well, I wanted her to look nice for tomorrow. Afterwards, Seneca and his assistant are coming over for a super quick brunch with us! How exciting is that?" I smiled, Valeria Cronin got excited about just about everything with people from the Capitol. I though she hated them, but it seemed she also loved being in their presence.

I told her it sounded wonderful and then meandered back to my house. My dad was standing on the front steps, obviously waiting for me. "Hello, sorry I'm late," I said, knowing my father would be upset with me for leaving my mom alone with the kids in the morning. "You know you shouldn't have, Finch." I looked down at my feet. "Yes, I know. And I'm sorry but I really wanted to see Marsh." He coughed into his navy coat and looked at me seriously. "Finch, you know that's dangerous. You could get caught and I don't have much authority. The peacekeeper's could take you to the Capitol and arrest you. Please don't do it again." I looked at my dad with an eager face. "Yeah, but Marsh needs me. I won't go for the rest of the week. Maybe I'll write her a note…" I was interrupted by my mom's voice, a high-pitched squeal. "Go help her, now!" my dad yelled at me.

I quickly nodded my head and ran into the house. My mom was holding the new baby and trying to feed the twins at the same time. "Finch, I'm glad you're here. Please feed Paloma and Pastora." I nodded my head and freed my mom of the spoon and the girls. "Come on, sit down." The girls sat down on the wooden stools at the table and allowed me to stuff a little beef stew down their throats. They were both four years old and difficult. They loved to play, but I didn't. I know that seems mean, but I'd rather be climbing trees in the backyard with the boys then playing with the Peas. I called them that because both their names start with "P", but they think I mean Peas as in Peas in a Pod, the vegetables.

As I finish feeding the girls, Maverick and Floyd come in. They are wearing their play clothes as they have obviously just returned from the backyard. "Hello." I say quietly as they come in. Maverick has red hair, like me. He is ten years old and very annoying. Floyd is twelve and this is his first reaping. I reassure him he won't get chosen. He is nicer to me but has dark hair, like my dad. The baby is named Pearlie. It sounds dumb, but Paloma and Pastora chose it. She's about six months old and has blonde little curls. She's pretty cute but also cries like crazy. I help my mother almost everyday with Pearlie, because she's a lot of work.

After my feeding chores and my other jobs, which include sweeping the hallway, making my bed, making the Peas' beds, and helping my mom begin to prepare lunch, I escape to my backyard with my notebook. It was a gift from my father. I open it to my latest addition: Thoughts on Caesar Flickerman. I think he is a truly interesting matter, I even sketched him. I have considered most the Capitol officials because they are all I can ever think of. I begin to climb a tree with ease. This is the highest tree and I take pride in being able to escape into it without being seen. I can even look over everybody's fences and spy on the neighbors. It's not like there is much to spy on in district five, but sometimes I learn things from spying into the Cronin's backyard.

Basically, this district is all about power and electricity. There are many different positions in this field because we support all of Panem. My father works as a plant security officer. He says it is boring and I believe it. Other than that, we don't do much other than make sure that we are producing power through the plants. Electric accidents occasionally happen, but they're not as common as I hear mining accidents are in say, district twelve. Not every kid here is poor like me. Some kids are actually somewhat wealthy, at least compared to the kids of districts like eleven and twelve. Nick is probably one of the wealthiest, but people with more power are always wealthier.

My schedule is always the same, like everyone here in district five. Nothing exciting ever happens to change schedules, so I am just always either going to school, or working at home. District Five declares the day before the reaping a holiday, so I'm off today. Anyway, now all I can do is think about the reaping, ponder which of my good friends or enemies will be chosen and hope it's not me. I really do.

*I would appreciate any feedback, comments, etc. How did I do? No nasty comments though, thanks! Do you like my version of Foxface's story?*


	2. Chapter 2: That afternoon

That afternoon…

That afternoon the sky was hazy. It was dark and dangerous looking. That's just the way I like it. The Peas went off and saw their friend, Tangie. I lay in my tree until about four in the afternoon, when it began to rain. My mom made me come inside, where I had to help her with the laundry. Even though our district supplies power, we don't have the right to any of it. We do not have a washing machine, and I have only seen one in Nick's house. So my mom gets out the big silver washtub and I help her clean out all the brown and blue garments. We don't have extravagant clothing like the Capitol does, like I think district eight might have. When my mom dismisses me, I go off into the room I share with all my siblings. Maverick is in their alone. I ask him where Floyd is and he sighs. "Off with some friends I guess."

I smile at Maverick. He's always been my favorite. "Do you want to do something then?" I ask him with a big grin. "Yeah, I guess," he replies quietly. I lead him into the den and grab my journal. I open it to the newest page and begin to list out in my messy old handwriting:

Things I dare you to draw:

Me

Pearlie

Yourself

The tree in the backyard

Dad & Mom

He glances over at the page as I write. When I'm done, I hand him the book. He glares at number one. I strike a pose and he begins. When he's done I see that he has drawn a circle with two dots as eyes and some hair. He has colored the hair with one of the three crayons that the Peas own. I look like a silly cartoon. I grab my journal from him. "So maybe you're not such an artist, well nor am I. Maybe we could sneak around the neighborhood and climb the back fences and spy on the neighbors." He frowns and nods his head no, "Mom will get mad at us again. You know how she is." I nodded my head reluctantly.

We looked out the window and saw the rain had almost stopped. I smiled at Maverick and he smiled back at me and we knew we were thinking the same evil thing. We sneaked out the backdoor into the rain and ran around, climbing trees and getting muddy and wet. My mom had gone off to see our grandmother after we had washed the clothes so she didn't know. Dad was at work, Pearlie had gone with mom, the Peas were at Tangie's, and Floyd was at a friend's house. Magnus was probably in the kitchen snacking so we didn't worry about him. When we were tired and drenched, we ran back into the kitchen and took off our coats and pants. That left us in our undergarments so we snuck into our bedroom and got some new clothes, almost identical to the ones we had been wearing. Magnus was sitting in the den, reading one of dad's books.

"Hello Mag. Didn't see you there, your nose in a book and all." He sat up and looked at us when I talked to him. "Oh yeah. Found this book and…" he held it up so I could see the cover. "…Thought is was kind of good." Hmm, that wasn't like Magnus to be reading a book, but what did I care. I sat down and just looked out the window for a long time. It was then that I remembered that tomorrow would be the day of the Reaping. Who would go? Hopefully not Floyd. He couldn't though, because all the tesserae is on me. He's in their like a few times. I had been a threat for four years, because my name had always been in there for tesserae and the little extra grain and oil you receive.

A few years ago, my neighbor's daughter went to the games. Her name was Josie and a lot of sponsors liked her. She went for a few days before she became extremely dehydrated. But Josie didn't value her water when she got it from the sponsors. She used a lot of it to cool off, and didn't save much to drink. I was determined that if I was ever in the games, I would value everything and be very sneaky. Because Josie hadn't come back.

Within the next half hour I thought a lot about the games. I hadn't understood what they meant until I was about six, when my dad had been forced to explain to me about the evil Capitol. I didn't get it. My grandmother had once told me about the stories her father had told her, about what it was like before the Dark Days. I had never fully understood why the punishment had to be so brutal. My dad had told me that the Capitol had to find a way to enforce the rules, to show that they had complete control over us. It seemed like before the rebellion, and before the major droughts and natural disasters, what was once North America was somewhat peaceful. I think they actually had a good government and well established rules. But now we are a horrible place where we starve to death in the districts and the Capitol citizens greedily eat whatever they want whenever they want it. I didn't understand it, and yet, I had no control over it either.

When my mother came home from Grandma's with Pearlie, she told us that Grandma was doing better. Lately, Grandma had been sick and really nervous. My mom said it was probably something about the Hunger Games Reapings coming soon, because Floyd would have a possible chance of being chosen this year. My mother's brother had been lost competing in the 46th Hunger Games and ever since, my grandmother had always been nervous about the games. My grandfather was dead from an electric accident about nineteen years ago that left my grandma with a twenty three year old daughter, the memory of two dead relatives, and a seventeen-year old daughter who had moved illegally to District Six when she was still eligible to participate in the Hunger Games. Yes, I do have an aunt who is an illegal citizen of District Six.

It doesn't really matter. My grandma is always worried about everything. She was scared when I learned to climb a tree, she was scared when my mom gave birth to the twins, and she was scared when Maverick ate a tiny piece of raw meat. Being seventy-eight years old, she should be more worried about herself than us.

Dad arrived home about two hours after mom arrived. He was sweating and his face was a bright red color. I asked him why and he said he had been working hard and the pay was bad. I just patted his shoulder as he walked off to his bedroom. I had nothing to say. This was always what he said when he arrived home. Soon mom would ask me to help with dinner.

*do you like it? I think I'll do two more chapters before the reaping. Then I'll do the reaping, the train ride, and maybe her experience in the arena. I would love for someone to read it! thanks*


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